Experiencing Teacher Leadership: Perceptions and Insights from First-Year Teacher Leaders

(Paperback)

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Experiencing Teacher Leadership is unique in the sense that it chronicles the experiences of five novice teacher leaders as they navigate their new roles as teacher leaders in their respective schools. Teacher leadership is a not a new term in most educational circles, but many educators are still unclear about the benefits of using teachers as leaders let alone what it looks like in action. This book takes a deep dive into the experiences, good and bad, as five teacher leaders move in, move through, and move out of their first year as leaders in their respective buildings. In order to do truly appreciate and understand their experiences, qualitative research methods, mainly interviews and observations, were used to obtain valuable information from a first person perspective. It is imperative that the (voice) of actual teacher leaders is heard and documented for anyone who is interested in learning more about school leadership that falls somewhere in between the classroom and the administration. Quite possibly, the most beneficial feature for the reader is to discover what these teacher leaders learned along the way. Transitioning from the classroom to a leadership role is difficult for many, and the first year in this new role is certainly the most challenging. This book highlights the challenges, but most importantly, offers practical guidance to prepare for and overcome some of the impediments first-year teacher leaders face.

Reviews

The movement of teachers into positions of teacher leadership, while more common than one might expect, is still not a fully understood phenomenon, nor are there many practical guides for either teachers or administrators to help direct them. Enter Dr. Michael Coquyts Experiencing Teacher Leadership, a book which makes accessible a roadmap of sorts for the transition to teacher leadership. Highlighting the voices of teachers who have navigated this move, Dr. Coquyt offers a much needed and user-friendly contribution to those interested in teacher leadership, both in K-12 settings as well as in teacher education programs. -- David Kupferman, professor, Minnesota State University Moorhead
In Experiencing Teacher Leadership, Dr. Michael Coquyt draws upon his experience as a teacher, administrator, and university professor to offer a pragmatic and practical application of research on emerging teacher leadership. The accessible presentation of this research grounded in the stories of current practitioners provides a needed addition to graduate courses on educational leadership and teacher education, but also within district-wide book studies and professional development. -- David Tack, professor, North Dakota State University
As the demands on PK-12 education grow, successful and meaningful change can no longer be initiated and achieved only through a formal leader. To continuously improve, districts must empower and develop the leadership skills in their teachers. Only through the purposeful development of teacher leaders can districts maximize their ability to help every learner reach their full potential. As a professor for the Teacher Leadership Academy offered through North Dakota State University, I have witnessed firsthand the impact the purposeful focus on developing these skills can have on the transformation of a district. In Experiencing Teacher Leadership, Dr. Coquyt provide background information, ideas and resources for administrators and teachers to utilize for enhancing and growing teacher leadership. The Teacher Leader Model Standards are utilized in a format that is engaging, reflective and will provide a template for starting the conversation about the development of teacher leaders for both K-12 settings and higher education. -- Corey Steiner, superintendent, Northern Cass School District

Author Bio

Dr. Michael Coquyt is currently teaching in the graduate and doctoral programs at Minnesota State University, Moorhead. Most of his coursework centers on teacher leadership and educational leadership.